Receptacles



April 2, 1968 A. w. MILLER, JR

RECEPTACLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1. 1966 INVENTOR Augus/ W. Mi/ler, Jr

ATTORNEY A. W. MILLER, JR

April 2, 1968 RECEPTACLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1'3 Filed July 1. 1966 TNVENTOR Augus/ W Mil/er,

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,375,953 RECEPTACLES August W. Miller, Jr., Portage, Wis., assignor to Portage Plastics Co., Inc., Portage, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed July 1, 1966, Ser. No. 562,360 7 Claims. (Cl. 220-97) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is a tote box adapted to be used with other like boxes in several ways. The boxes have sloping sides for nesting and a heavy rounded rim. Each end is provided with a raised hand hold.

At each end, a rectangular loop, formed of heavy wire stock, is pivoted along an axis just below the handle. This loop hangs freely when the boxes are stacked in nested relation. The loops may be swung over the handles to lie across the rim of the box to permit stacking of the full boxes. Additionally, the loops may be positioned close to the ends of the box, inside the handles of the box below to permit the boxes to be stacked in half nested condition.

The present invention relates to a receptacle, container or box and more particularly to such a device that can be arranged in nested or stacked relationship.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and compact container or receptacle that is provided with a plurality of side Walls and a bottom and an open top and which container can be disposed in stacked relationship with other similar containers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a receptacle that is preferably made of molded plastic material and provided with a rolled over rim or lip adjacent its upper end having handle means for lifting the receptacle and other means for permitting the receptacle to be stacked in super-imposed relationship to almost full depth or half depth or one on top of another without injury or damage to the contents disposed in the receptacle below it.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a box for carrying articles therein and swingable stacking means disposed adjacent opposite ends of the box so as to be positioned at various times to enable similar boxes to be disposed in nesting position, with one box extending into another box, practically the full depth thereof, or with the boxes being disposed in a nesting position so that one box extends into another box approximately half the depth of the other box, or so that the boxes can be disposed in a nesting position one on top of another so that one box does not extend within the interior of the other box. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a rod device adjacent the opposite ends of an open top container which permits identical containers to be stacked in nesting position with respect to one another so that the interior of the boxes may contain various depths of articles therein without injury or damage to the contents therein.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a box embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged section taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the box of the present invention illustrating the boxes in a stacked nesting position in which one box extends almost the full depth into the other box;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view illustrating the box of the present invention in which two boxes are in stacked relationship and the stacking means are disposed in a position so that one box is stacked on top of another box without extending into the interior of the other box;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the box embodied in the present invention with the stacking device disposed in position so that one box is nested or stacked on an other box and extends into the other box approximately half the depth of the other box.

Referring to the drawings the reference numeral 10 generally designates a molded plastic box comprising opposite longitudinal side walls 12 and opposite end walls 14 and a bottom 16 with an open end or top 18. The box is preferably made of molded plastic material and is formed as one piece. The box is preferably rectangular in configuration and is provided adjacent its upper end with a turned over rim or lip 20 extending completely around it. The portions of the rim 22 adjacent the opposite end walls of the box are larger than the portion of the rim 24 adjacent the side Walls 12. The rim portion 22 is provided with lifting or handle means 26 disposed centrally thereof consisting of a tubular member having its opposite ends disposed in sockets 28 formed in the rim portion 22. The rim portion 22 is provided with a flat portion 30 adjacent and below the tubular handle so that a person desiring to lift the box may insert his fingers between the flat portion 30 and the handle in order to properly grasp the handle.

The box is further provided with a stacking or nesting device 32 which permits one box to be stacked in superimposed relationship with another box at varying distances extending into the lower box, as desired. The stacking device comprises a metal member consisting of a rod or bar 34 having vertical legs 36 with upper horizontal portions 38 extending through the rim portion 22. The lower ends of the vertical legs 36 are of U shape configuration as indicated at 40. TheU bights 40 of the nesting devices are disposed adjacent the outer surfaces of the side wall 12 and face toward one another, or in other words toward the interior of the box. The rod is provided with a horizontal transversely extending portion 42 joined at its opposite ends to the inner leg 44 of the bight members 40. The transverse portion 42 extends substantially beyond the opposite sides of the end wall 14 so that the bights 40 are disposed adjacent the box side walls 12 when the stacking device is in its most downwardly disposed position as shown in FIGURE 1.

The stacking device is also provided with a straight rod or bar 46 that extends between the outer legs 48 of the bight 40. The straight rod 46 extends transversely of the end walls 14 and is secured to the transverse rod portion 42 and the vertical legs 36 by brazing, welding or other suitable means. The stacking device 32, as best seen in FIGURE 2, can be swung in an are or circle as indicated by the arrows therein from its lowermost position to its uppermost position indicated by dotted lines in FIGURE 2. It will be noted that when the stacking device 32 is disposed in its lowermost position, as shown in FIGURE 2, that the straight rod 46 and the rod 34 are both disposed below the rim 22 and do not extend outwardly thereof. It will further be noted from FIGURE 2 that the end wall 14 is tapered downwardly and inwardly. The side walls 12 are also similarly tapered downwardly and inwardly.

Referring to FIGURE 3, there is illustrated therein a nesting arrangement or superimposed arrangement of the boxes in which the upper box extends substantially its full depth into the lower box. At this time the stacking devices 32 are pulled away from the end walls 14 or are spaced slightly outwardly therefrom so that the stacking devices 32 are not in the vertical position shown in FIGURE 2, but rather at an angle with respect to that position. This enables the upper box to be fully nested Within the lower box until the rims 22 are disposed one On top of the other.

Referring to the nesting arrangement shown in FIG- URE 4, it will be noted that the stacking devices 32 are swung inwardly so that they are disposed at their uppermost position with the straight rods 46 of the lower box positioned on the rim portion 24 of the side walls. At this time it will be noted that the boxes although they are in a nested position are arranged with one on top of the other so that if there are any articles within the lower box the contents will not be injured or damaged.

Referring to the nesting arrangement shown in FIG- URE 5, the stacking devices 32 are disposed in their lowermost position, or in the position shown in FIG- URE 2, at which time the straight rod 46 of the stacking device on the top box rest on the rim portion 24 of the lower box so that the upper box extends approximately half its depth into the lower box so that the articles arranged in the lower box to the half depth thereof will not be injured.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the present invention provides a novel and compact box or receptacle with lifting and handling means and stacking device means so that two boxes may be disposed in superimposed relationship with each other with uppermost box being nested to almost full depth or half depth, or with one box disposed on top of the lower box without injury or damage to the contents or the articles in the lower box, as desired.

Inasmuch as various changes may be made in the relative arrangement, and the location of the parts, without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is not meant to limit the invention except by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rectangular stacking-type receptacle, having a bottom, sides, ends and an open top: the sides and ends sloping outwardly as they extend upwardly; the sides and ends being provided with a generally rounded rim, extending outwardly, at the top and of greater height at the ends than the sides; on each end, a U-shaped loop mernber pivoted at its ends in the rim with its pivotal axis located outwardly of the line connecting the bottom and end of the receptacle; the arms of the U-shaped loop being of substantial length, greater than the height or width of the rim; the loops being swingable about their pivotal axis to occupy: (a) positions resting on the side rims of the receptacle to support another receptacle entirely above the subject receptacle; ([1) positions below the pivotal axis and somewhat outwardly of the end walls whereby a plurality of receptacles may be closely nested; and (c) positions close to the ends walls, below the pivotal axis whereby the bight of the loops may rest on the side rims of similar receptacles, confined by the higher end rims of such receptacles, whereby the receptacles may be stacked at intermediate depths.

2. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein an additional bight is formed in the loop member adjacent each of the intersections of the arms and main bight thereof.

3. The receptacle of claim 2 wherein said additional bights extend at about right angles to the main bight, toward the receptacle body.

4. The receptacle of claim 3 including a rod-like member secured to the main bight of the loop member and substantially co-extensive therewith.

5. The receptacle of claim 4 wherein the higher rim of the ends is formed into handles.

6. The receptacle of claim 1 including a rod-like member secured to the bight of the loop member and substantially co-extending therewith.

7. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein the higher rim of the ends is formed into handles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,512,105 6/1950 Kooij 22094 X 2,550,804 5/1951 Gordon 22O97 FOREIGN PATENTS 141,902 1/1935 Austria. 862,870 1/1953 Germany. 1,158,440 11/ 1963 Germany.

649,926 12/ 1962 Italy.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Examiner, 

